The invention relates to the field of indoor sports practice booths, and in particular indoor structures for practicing the game of golf.
The prior art is replete with examples of indoor erected structures or mechanisms to simulate outdoor conditions so that the user could practice playing golf. Such include a simple putting target which simulates a green and cup portion of a regular golf course so that the user can practice putting. More complex systems may include electronically or optically simulated images of fairways. These images can be changed to give the illusion of progressing through a round of golf, either on command of the player, or automatically in response to the force, direction, etc. of the driven ball as it strikes the surface on which the image of the fairway is displayed. Other systems, targets or structures for accomplishing various parts of the game of golf indoors are shown in the following United States patents:
610,336 (White) shows an indoor golf range which uses a series of closely spaced hands of rubber or leather strips or the like arranged in wall-like layers. The golf ball is struck towards the wall of strips which retards the flight of the ball.
1,540,670 (Vidmar) shows a tent like arrangement of nets supported by poles. A canvas target with a black strip is shown against the end net wall. The black strip is intended to help the driven golf ball show up against the black background.
1,656,718 (Bickford) teaches the use of rigid walls arranged in an overall hopper shape to funnel the driven balls for a controlled return, and hopefully avoid rebound of the balls back towards the user.
1,669,640 (Warlick) shows a sloping fairway and green arrangement, complete with "water hazard", together with net or mesh walls 33 suspended from above by lines 35.
2,827,297 (Foster) shows a folding target with a series of concentric overlapping holes in a series of overlapping sheets of cloth, plastic etc.
2,922,653 (O'Brien) shows a series of nets arranged on beams and poles which form the sides, top, and target provided at the end of a golf practice booth.
3,558,140 (Romeo) teaches the combination of a vertically arranged target for practicing drives or approach shots, and below this a simulated green surface which is intended to receive the driven balls, after the ball falls from the target into a trough. The ball can then be putted into one of several cups formed in the simulated green.
5,007,645 (Weigl) shows a golf practice device for use in a garage, which comprises a net mounted on the garage door via brackets. These brackets are mounted to hold the net during use and storage.
5,026,060 (Beeber) shows a series of indoor golf playing areas. A driven golf ball strikes one of a series of troughs erected in front of the driving range portion. Each trough is connected to a conveying tube which deposits the driven ball in one of the selected playing areas, where the user must chip or putt, depending on where the ball is directed by the conveying tube.
5,116,056 (Schmutte) shows a track supported net arrayed like a curtain around an interior comer of an indoor space, The net is gathered in a bunch or roll at the bottom to help trap the driven ball,
None of these patents disclose a system which is compact, versatile such that all aspects of golf can be practiced, yet permit the entire system to be quickly stored or deployed so that the indoor space can have alternative uses.